(^14) A Wiccan Bible
Understanding This Book
Understanding this book requires that we suspend our instinct to interpret the
written word literally. I have drawn on many world sources to structure my belief
system. Although the stories on which I have built are themselves sacred, they should
not be considered fundamentally true. This is especially true of time periods. Just be-
cause the oldest known story of the Great Flood can be found in Sumerian writings of
about four thousand years ago does not mean the Great Flood took place four thou-
sand years ago. Just because the story was told by the Sumerians with characters in the
Sumerian pantheon does not mean that the story took place within the Sumerian cul-
ture. Indeed, that same story has been told by several cultures at several different points
in history. So in reading of such matters, ignore entirely any reference to the time in
which the culture telling the story existed because the time in which the story is told in
that particular culture is not necessarily the time in which the event took place.
You see, this book is not the story of any one people or any one tradition of Wicca.
Instead, it is the story of humanity and how the strivings of humanity have resulted in
the evolution of this religion. It is a journey from the very beginning of humanity to
what may seem like its end, all shown in the lifetime of a single Wiccan from birth until
death. In this story, I hope the whole of what I intend to bring to your attention is seen
because I believe the story given here in many parts is much greater than the sum total
of its parts. Although Wicca was born in this past century, its birth took place only after
its evolution and only when it was divinely needed. I hope here you will see that al-
though there is widespread belief that Gardner or others created Wicca, belief in cre-
ation and evolution can coexist. For with this knowledge, although we may now be
facing the end of one world, with Wicca we may welcome the birth of another.
The Recipes
In this book are included several recipes for natural incense and oils. To save space
and connect the recipe to the rite or instance in which it is used, those recipes have
been worked into the context of the book without an explanation of how to use them.
In using those recipes, one should keep in mind that these are what have worked for
me. You may need to modify these recipes to suite your needs.
Oil Recipes—On the market today there are several different types of oil, which range
greatly in price. Unless otherwise noted, when I refer to oils herein, I am referring to
pure, undiluted, natural essential oils of the plant listed. Wow, that was a mouthful.
However, it had to be stressed. The market place is filled with synthetics and with blends
of essentials in less expensive base oil. Generally speaking, true essential oils should
not be placed on the skin. Although there are a few that do not seem to promote a
reaction, such as patchouli, there are also some that will raise welts, such as cinnamon.
However, oils should be purchased in their purest and most concentrated form be-
cause the recipe given includes the dilution.
That dilution and base oil can make or break the oil. In the recipes of this book, I
have given the concentrations that have worked best for me. Your skin might be more
sensitive than mine, so you may have to change the recipe to accommodate. The key to
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